Combat phase

The combat phase is the third phase in a turn, and has five steps in this order:

• Beginning of Combat Step
• Declare Attackers Step
• Declare Blockers Step
• Combat Damage Step
• End of Combat Step

If no creatures are declared as attackers, the declare blockers step and combat damage step is skipped. If any attacking or blocking creatures has first strike or double strike, there are two combat damage steps.

Removing a creature from combat

A creature is removed from combat if:

• it leaves play
• it regenerates [CR 419.6b]
• its controller changes
• it stops being a creature
• an effect removes it from combat

When a creature is removed from combat, it stops being an attacking, blocking, blocked, and/or unblocked creature.

If a creature has been declared as an attacking or blocking creature, spells or abilities that would have kept that creature from attacking or blocking do not remove the creature from combat.

Example

If a player wants to cast an Off Balance, it must be done before a creature has been declared an attacker or blocker. Otherwise, it will have no effect.

Tapping or untapping a creature that’s already been declared as an attacker or blocker doesn’t remove it from combat and doesn’t prevent its combat damage. (This is contrary to pre-Sixth Edition rules.)

External links

• Jeff Cunningham (July 21, 2007). "Introduction to Combat". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
• Mark Rosewater (February 07, 2011). "Fight Club, Part 1". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
• Mark Rosewater (February 14, 2011). "Fight Club, Part 2". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
• Doug Beyer (February 08, 2012). "Creature Combat". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.